Police pull over a fish lorry to extinguish burning fire

At 2 p.m. last Friday at Chojung Crossroad in Jeungpyeong Eup, Jeungpyeong County, North Chungcheong Province, roads policing officers in the first squad division of Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency spotted the left front wheel of a 4.5-ton cargo truck that was pulled over suddenly onto the shoulder smoldering with flames growing.

While the police brought extinguishers from a nearby store, they also asked for help from their colleagues who happened to be on a police bus nearby. After a while, upon the vehicle’s arrival, they also took out extinguishers from the bus to make things right, but to no avail.

In the meantime, some officers found a fish lorry passing by. Desperate for help, they pulled over the car and asked the driver to help them. Without hesitation, the driver helped extinguish the fire by sprinkling water in the tank. Thanks to all such effort, the fire ended with no significant damage but only cost 200,000 won in losses, according to the fire station’s estimates. No one was left injured thankfully.

Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency presumably attributed the fire to overheated brakes. “It took nine minutes to extinguish the fire completely,” it said, adding that the fire could be put out without any detrimental damage thanks to the police’s nimble initial response and citizens, including the fish lorry driver who willingly helped out.


Jang-Ki Woo straw825@donga.com